- Rajpal Yadav faces a Rs 9 crore cheque bounce case linked to a long-standing debt
- His total unpaid debt peaked near Rs 50 crore over 15-20 years before reducing to Rs 25-30 crore
- Since 2012, Yadav has dealt with 30-35 legal cases related to financial disputes
Rajpal Yadav has been embroiled in legal trouble over a cheque-bounce case linked to a debt of around Rs 9 crore. He has been dealing with financial and legal matters for years now. Amid the ongoing Rs 9-crore debt case, he opened up about how Rs 25-30 crore remains unpaid, and how at one point the figure had almost reached Rs 50 crore.
In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, Rajpal Yadav said, "Roughly Rs 25-30 crore. At one point, the figure had reached nearly Rs 50 crore over 15-20 years, but repayments, family responsibilities, and court cases reduced it. Since 2012, when my film release was first stayed by the High Court, I've faced 30-35 cases across different places. But I've always said I'm entangled, not drowned. Agreements, cheques, or verbal commitments - all are honoured with respect."
On reports that Rajpal Yadav received help worth Rs 70-80 crore from fellow artists, the Bhool Bhulaiyaa actor said, "Whoever helped, I'm deeply grateful. But the figures circulating are misleading. Assistance was used properly and will be returned. The confusion is that people assume amounts without knowing the facts."
On His Financial Case Being Discussed Widely
Rajpal Yadav's Rs 9-crore debt case blew up when it hit the media. Addressing the matter, Rajpal Yadav spoke about how, for years, he has been working continuously. He mentioned performing at least 4-5 thousand plays and portraying 4-5 thousand characters.
Rajpal Yadav said, "I've given money to about 150 people, borrowed from 150 as well. In life, when you attempt something big, you may face losses of Rs 10-20 crore, and debts of Rs 10, 20, 30 crore pile up. But you also repay them through your earnings."
He continued, "If cheques are in circulation, it means agreements were made. That itself is proof of honesty - whether for guarantee or security. Money doesn't belong to one kitchen alone; the kitchens of 140 crore people in this country depend on circulating money."
How The Controversy Began
Back in 2010, Rajpal Yadav took a loan of around Rs 5 crore from a Delhi based company to make his first film as a director, Ata Pata Laapata. The movie was a comedy, but it did not perform well at the box office. As a result, the film failed to earn enough money to cover the costs, due to which Rajpal faced difficulty in paying back the loan.
The unpaid amount continued to grow over the years because of interest and other charges. What started as a loan of around Rs 5 crore reportedly increased to nearly Rs 9 crore. This financial dispute led to the cheque bounce case against the actor.
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